China Mobile (Hong Kong) warned yesterday that it would pull the plug on wireless content and service providers which failed to abide by the rules.
The mainland's dominant mobile operator, which controls about two-thirds of the country's cellular market, said it would drop service providers if they repeatedly distributed illegal content or engaged in other malpractices.
'It is our policy to take action, including termination of co-operation if appropriate, against those service providers which persistently or seriously breach the relevant rules, agreements or regulatory requirements,' a spokesman said.
The warning came after the carrier's Guangdong unit dropped 11 wireless service providers from the 160-plus partners of its Monternet wireless data platform last week for breaching rules.
The violations included providing pornographic content, sending illegal short messages and advertising, illegally collecting fees from users, copyright breaches and plagiarism.
The firm said it had penalised 48 service providers since it launched Monternet in 2000.